We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mariah Barnette. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mariah below.

Mariah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

One of the most impactful things my parents did right was instilling a deep sense of independence and a strong work ethic from a very young age. They believed in preparing me for real life—not just by telling me about it but by giving me the space and responsibility to experience it myself.

I got my first job at 14, and that early experience taught me how to manage my time, show up consistently, and take pride in earning something for myself. By the time I was old enough to drive, I was paying my car insurance. At the time, it felt like a heavy lift, but looking back, I see how those expectations shaped my sense of ownership and self-discipline.

I held multiple jobs in college to support myself, juggling coursework, work, and internships, and while it wasn’t always easy, it made me incredibly resourceful and resilient.

Those lessons—initiative, grit, and the ability to self-manage—have followed me throughout my career. I don’t wait to be told what needs to be done. I look for gaps, lean into challenges, and treat every role with the same seriousness I did when I was 14, clocking in for my first shift. My parents didn’t just prepare me to succeed; they gave me the tools to thrive and adapt, no matter where life or work takes me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Mariah Barnette—publicist, creative director, and passionate storyteller. I started my career in media, working both behind the scenes in television production and in front of the camera as an on-air personality. That experience gave me a deep understanding of how stories are crafted and shared—and it’s what inspired me to help others tell theirs more powerfully.

In 2017, I co-launched my own PR agency to support brands in finding their voice and getting seen by the right audiences. Since then, I’ve secured client features in Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post, NPR, XO Necole, Black Enterprise, and more. I’ve also had the honor of working with culture-shaping figures like Dia Simms, Brandy, Karen Civil, and Yvonne Orji.

Currently, I serve as the Director of Communications and Development for Mamatoto Village, a nonprofit dedicated to improving maternal health outcomes for Black women in Washington, D.C., and Prince George’s County, Maryland. In my role, I focus on brand awareness, advocacy and storytelling initiatives, marketing, and public relations. I was also involved in launching the city’s first Reproductive Health Pantry.

I’m also the Board Treasurer for the Washington Association of Black Journalists—and when I’m not working, I’m loving life as a wife to my husband Michael and mom to our daughter, Skylar. Whether it’s public relations, media strategy, or motherhood, I’m the go-to resource!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What’s helped me build my reputation most is leading with authenticity and prioritizing relationships over transactions. I’ve found that when you show up as your full self, people connect with you more deeply, and that trust becomes the foundation for everything else.

I don’t approach storytelling as a checklist. For me, it’s about capturing something real. People want to see the why behind the brand, the person behind the title. That level of intentionality not only resonates with audiences but also makes it easier to build long-term relationships with clients, partners, and people in general.

Here are a few key takeaways I’ve learned along the way:

Authenticity builds trust – You don’t have to oversell or over-polish to be powerful. Being real is more sustainable and more magnetic.

Relationships are your reputation – Your network is not just who you know, but how you treat them. Every interaction matters. People always remember how you make them feel so don’t forget that.

Consistency is everything – Showing up with integrity and following through—especially when no one’s watching—sets you apart more than any pitch deck ever will.

Purpose fuels visibility – When your work is aligned with something bigger than yourself, the visibility you earn is more than just exposure—it’s impact.

At the end of the day, reputation isn’t something you build overnight. It’s something you cultivate by staying rooted in who you are and showing up for others with intention and care.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that I needed to codeswitch in order to be accepted or taken seriously. For a long time, especially early in my career, I found myself constantly adjusting how I spoke, how I wore my hair, and how I showed up—because I was often the only Black woman in the room. There was this unspoken pressure to shrink certain parts of myself to fit into predominantly white, corporate, or professional environments.

The backstory is that I was doing it out of survival, not strategy. I thought being palatable would open doors, and for a while, I convinced myself that it was “just part of the game.” But over time, it became exhausting—and honestly, disheartening. I realized that I was diluting the very things that made me powerful: my voice, my culture, my presence.

When I stopped trying to fit in and started showing up fully as myself, not only did I feel freer, but I also built deeper connections, created more impactful work, and walked into rooms with the confidence that I belonged there—exactly as I am.

Now, I’m intentional about creating spaces where others don’t feel they have to perform or shift who they are to be accepted. That’s really important to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mariaheoates.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariaheoates/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariahoates/